Merriweather Post Pavilion
by Animal Collective
  • Record Label: Domino
  • Release Date: Jan 20, 2009
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 627 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 537 out of 627
  2. Mixed: 35 out of 627
  3. Negative: 55 out of 627

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  1. RonanS
    Apr 26, 2009
    9
    This album has so many gorgeous little details it's very hard to get bored of it. While the lyrics are often hard to make out Of those I have heard I totally love. A slow-burning and ultimately very rewarding album
  2. JustinL
    May 19, 2009
    8
    Good album, still prefer Strawberry Jam. It's just a shame that Metacritic allows ignorant people post stupidity, if you don't think it's music why did you buy the album. Best 20 bucks I spent.
  3. Chris
    May 23, 2009
    9
    I'm sure buck and ken are douches who listen to top 20, or who think the new green day album is actually good. This album is unbelievable. You don't need guitars to make art fellas.
  4. JayS
    Jun 14, 2009
    10
    When starting this album, I cant help but think about Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon's opening songs 'Speak to Me' and 'Breathe'. When these songs start, I feel like I am about to start a journey into something unseen and unheard. That is the best way to summarize 'Merriweather Post Pavilion'. Its swirling songcraft was completly When starting this album, I cant help but think about Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon's opening songs 'Speak to Me' and 'Breathe'. When these songs start, I feel like I am about to start a journey into something unseen and unheard. That is the best way to summarize 'Merriweather Post Pavilion'. Its swirling songcraft was completly different, but completly wonderful. Its a trip that I plan on taking for years to come.… Expand
  5. GraemeT
    Jun 2, 2009
    10
    Album of the year so far! Hands down! It's a wonderful album, joyous and interesting. I've been listening to it since it came out and ahh it's so pretty.
  6. AndrewB.
    Jul 20, 2009
    10
    Every song is amazing and all are VERY replayable. Best album of this year (I don't see anything topping it), and one of the best of the decade.
  7. mS
    Aug 13, 2009
    9
    I hate to jump on the bandwagon here but this is a fantastic 'progressive' development in music. I quite liked previous AC albums and the Panda Bear solo album but they failed to ignite. This one however seems to have the balance perfectly. Its cutting-edge but accessible and incorporates the best of rock/ electronic and pop music of the last 50 years. I've been playing I hate to jump on the bandwagon here but this is a fantastic 'progressive' development in music. I quite liked previous AC albums and the Panda Bear solo album but they failed to ignite. This one however seems to have the balance perfectly. Its cutting-edge but accessible and incorporates the best of rock/ electronic and pop music of the last 50 years. I've been playing this since January and it still gets regular play. As a counterpoise however my wife hates it and moans every time she hears it.… Expand
  8. Vee
    Oct 11, 2009
    10
    This music does not fit you if you love the mindless beat of the Jonas Brothers or Miley Cyrus or Nickleback. If you want to fill your mind with "baby babybabybaby" over thousands of time in a single album then you should go back to mainstream. To the people who bought this album because of the reviews: people who review musics have something that you don't: mind, brain, thoughts.
  9. SDK
    Jan 21, 2009
    10
    It's near perfect a record as any for this day and age. Like an accumulation of all things natural, MPP is the essence of universal likeness of being.
  10. JY.
    Jan 21, 2009
    10
    They have evolved as musicians and made their most accessible album to date. Definitely their most "pop" sounding yet, and I don't think it's a bad thing with the way they structure melodies and especially harmonies behind Panda Bear and Avey Tare. Exceptional record.
  11. KarstenS.
    Jan 21, 2009
    10
    For the love of all things beautiful in this world, don't just listen to this album. Put on your headphones and let it take you over. This album makes other music not sound like music at all. If you are not smiling throughout the entire album, it is possible that you have no soul.
  12. KevinS.
    Jan 21, 2009
    10
    A career-heightening album from an amazing band. This will mark the explosion of this already popular group of musicians
  13. [Anonymous]
    Jan 21, 2009
    10
    Simply astonishing. Woozy, hazy, ecstatic, melodic, filled with eccentricity and wonderfully produced. 11 incredible tracks in a row, each one of which works as a standalone piece and add up to a masterpiece when taken as a whole. One of the best albums I've ever heard, and possibly the best of the '00s.
  14. ChrisA
    Jan 21, 2009
    10
    Animal Collective have done it. They have won music.
  15. ZachA.
    Jan 21, 2009
    10
    FANTASTIC ALBUM. This isn't the kind of pop music you'll currently hear on top 40 radio stations, with cliche lyrics over guitars and drums. You know, the same songs you've heard over and over again regurgitated. These are pop songs breaking the seams of music like pop music USED TO. Music with LIFE flowing through it. Every song is good, but greatness comes most out of FANTASTIC ALBUM. This isn't the kind of pop music you'll currently hear on top 40 radio stations, with cliche lyrics over guitars and drums. You know, the same songs you've heard over and over again regurgitated. These are pop songs breaking the seams of music like pop music USED TO. Music with LIFE flowing through it. Every song is good, but greatness comes most out of Taste and My Girls.… Expand
  16. Daniel
    Jan 21, 2009
    9
    Utterly brilliant album, their most accessible to date and not a dull track amongst these 11 new offerings.
  17. TimmyD.
    Dec 15, 2009
    10
    while this is my favorite album of all-time by far, it is true that this music is incredibly awkward to listen to with others. Its kind of a bedroom album I guess. I remember one time I was listening to brothersport, my favorite song ever, in a car with my friend and i was just like..wow. this song feels really gay right now for some reason. the truth is, this isn't pop. It should while this is my favorite album of all-time by far, it is true that this music is incredibly awkward to listen to with others. Its kind of a bedroom album I guess. I remember one time I was listening to brothersport, my favorite song ever, in a car with my friend and i was just like..wow. this song feels really gay right now for some reason. the truth is, this isn't pop. It should never, ever be compared to pop because it is entirely different from anything else ever written and doesn't even approach the overproduced feel of the entire pop spectrum. Yet, while being so unique and original, it is also, like I said, one of the worst albums to try and introduce friends to.… Expand
  18. HagenM.
    Dec 16, 2009
    10
    This music is ahead of its time by decades. Perfection has been achieved.
  19. MaxW
    Dec 19, 2009
    10
    Best album of the year, top 3 this decade along with Is This it by the Strokes and Funeral by Arcade Fire. The way Animal Collective blends so many different sounds to create something exceptional continues to amaze me. Anyone who rates this below about a 7 has no idea what they're talking about
  20. Mr.Man
    Jan 23, 2009
    8
    Definitely a strong step above the pack of other artists circulating nowadays, yet when excellent track proceeded excellent track, repetition started to rear its ugly head. Very well made, almost hypnotizing, but comes to a point where listening to one song could give you the same general idea as the next.
  21. kalim.
    Jan 23, 2009
    10
    Everything I've always loved about AC with none of the meandering filler. Sublime.
  22. MikeC
    Jan 25, 2009
    10
    This album has set the precedent of psycadelia.
  23. JohnD.
    Jan 26, 2009
    10
    I fell in love with this album when I first listened to it and fell deeper in love with it after seeing it performed live 5 feet away from me.
  24. dan
    Jan 27, 2009
    9
    Haha the lowest 3 reviews include rollingstone and blender.. go rave about kings of leon and leave people over the age of 14 alone. let us enjoy music that sonically challenges musical norms without having to hear you say you "don't get it" or there isn't a basic song structure. shove it. animal collective remain one of the most unique and original bands of the 00's. this Haha the lowest 3 reviews include rollingstone and blender.. go rave about kings of leon and leave people over the age of 14 alone. let us enjoy music that sonically challenges musical norms without having to hear you say you "don't get it" or there isn't a basic song structure. shove it. animal collective remain one of the most unique and original bands of the 00's. this record delivers fresh material, even compared to their most bizzar outputs, mpp still doesn't sound drab. this is probably their most "mature" and cohesive record to get into. recommended for anyone who is curious about AC and looking for a good place to make that first dive.… Expand
  25. RobertP.
    Jan 27, 2009
    10
    Probably the best album of the last umpteen years. It doesn't really matter though, it's just good and fun to listen to. When does that ever happen?
  26. Tom
    Feb 13, 2009
    10
    I always thought Animal Collective were pretty overrated but this album has proved me wrong. Took a few listens to get into it, but know reckon its one of the best albums I've heard in years. Favourite tracks are Taste & Bluish.
  27. Raiford
    Mar 21, 2009
    8
    This is not a bad album, neither is it as life-changing as the critics make it out to be. Definitely AC's most poppy. The sad thing is that AC has made two superior albums prior to this that received much less attention. The quirk that permeated Strawberry Jam is missing here, for better or for worse.
  28. WillP
    Apr 12, 2009
    8
    not as good as strawberry jam. but close, awefully close. more immediate and--unfortunately--more superficial. still beautiful music nonetheless.
  29. Andy
    May 27, 2009
    8
    Great album, although I have my doubts as to how well this album would hold up live after watching them perform on Letterman.
  30. pat
    Sep 23, 2009
    7
    A solid pop album with an original sound and great production, but the band has lost some of their experimental flare on this one. The whole album sounds pretty fluffy in comparison to all of their other albums. When I heard Strawberry Jam I figured this was as close to a pop record as they would ever get, clearly I was wrong. Enjoyable, but lacking the depth that makes albums like Sung A solid pop album with an original sound and great production, but the band has lost some of their experimental flare on this one. The whole album sounds pretty fluffy in comparison to all of their other albums. When I heard Strawberry Jam I figured this was as close to a pop record as they would ever get, clearly I was wrong. Enjoyable, but lacking the depth that makes albums like Sung Tongs, Here Comes The Indian and Campfire Songs so wonderous.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best Album of 2009
2
#2 Most Discussed Album of 2009
6
#6 Most Shared Album of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Universal acclaim - based on 36 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
  1. Mojo
    80
    By far the most streamlined and purposeful Animal Collective record. [Jan 2008, p.98]
  2. Spin
    80
    In years past, Animal Collective have been cast as perpetual Peter Pans, forever stuck in childhood fantasias. But beneath the body-moving throbs and coruscating noises of Merriweather Post Pavilion, themes of domestic duty and devotion abound.
    Read full review
  3. Uncut
    100
    It feels like one of the landmark American albums of the century so far. [Jan 2008, p.86]
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »